A child joyfully called out, hooking his arms around Leland Burns’s neck in excitement, while another child timidly hid in Leland Burns’s embrace.
The driver looked at Leland Burns, who was holding a child in each arm: “Mr. Burns, do you need help?”
Leland Burns responded with a stern face, “No, where is the car parked?”
“The parking lot outside,” the driver answered.
Not far from here, amidst the bustling crowd, collisions were common. A man like Leland Burns, even with a stern expression, attracted attention like a magnet. People from abroad were more open, boldly staring at him and flashing suggestive smiles. Some even approached him directly for his phone number, disregarding whether he had children with him, in hopes of a one-night stand.
Concerned about the children getting bumped, Leland Burns held them tightly. He preferred not to bring too many people when out and about-a couple of assistants and a driver sufficed to manage his luggage, especially since the children had so many things.
Upon reaching the parking lot, the driver fetched the keys to a black luxury sedan. The back seat was spacious and comfortable. Leland Burns slightly bent down, first placing Wayne Burns inside, then Shawn Burns, and closed the car door. The children pressed their faces against the window, whispering to each other about something outside, their gaze fixed intently as if they saw something fascinating.
Rarely did something captivate the children’s attention so intensely. Leland Burns, following their gaze, asked coldly, “What are you looking at?”
The younger son shivered, and the older son, while turning his head, pointed outside: “Dad, there’s a beautiful auntie outside. Marry her and bring her home to be our mom, so other kids won’t tease me and my brother for not having a mom.”
Leland Burns frowned, realizing he had neglected the emotional needs of his children, unaware that they had been mocked by others.
Children need a mother, but it wasn’t absolutely necessary. Single-parent families were not uncommon, and as Leland Burns’s sons, they had material advantages over most from the start.
However, the absence of maternal love left a void in their hearts-they yearned for a mother.
Unbeknownst to him, both children had developed a habit of watching women, especially beautiful ones, on the streets, fantasizing about them becoming their mother.
After being scolded by Leland Burns once, the children became cautious, only daring to look secretly, thinking such incidents would not recur.
Unexpectedly, today in the car, the older son, Wayne Burns, started inciting his younger brother again, attempting to draw their father’s attention to the beautiful auntie.
Facing his sons’ gleaming eyes, Leland Burns looked out and saw nothing but a crowd-until suddenly, a figure entered his view, causing his heart to thump violently, stirring his nerves. His eyes unblinkingly followed, his blood seemingly boiling.
By the time he regained his senses, the figure had vanished into the crowd.
Leland Burns instinctively wanted to search but could no longer find her.
“Dad…”
His children’s voices brought him back to reality. He looked down, his grip on the car seat so tight that his knuckles turned white and his veins bulged.
For the first time in many years, he had lost control of his emotions. Just moments ago, he had almost abandoned his children to chase after that disappearing figure.
“Dad? What’s wrong?”
Leland Burns shook his head, his face pale, eyes reddened. He sat down, feeling as though all his bones had been extracted, and his heart thundered in his chest, his eyes growing hotter.
At this moment, he found himself missing Winifred Dawson.
Missing someone could hit suddenly, like a person floating in the sea, about to grasp a floating piece of wood, only to be smashed down by a giant wave and sunk deep into the ocean.
That silhouette really resembled Winifred Dawson, even the way she walked was similar, but the face wasn’t hers; the profile belonged to a stranger.
Perhaps when one misses someone dearly, even a passerby could resemble her.
Leland Burns settled back into his seat, placing his eldest son to his right, one child on each side.
“I just suddenly thought of your mother.”
The mention of their mother silenced the children. They missed her too, having only seen her in photographs and paintings, all collected or created by their father.
Their mother was beautiful, and they both inherited much of her looks. She also had a lovely name, Winifred Dawson.
In fact, Leland Burns rarely mentioned Winifred Dawson at home, but the children often saw him holding her photograph, gently caressing it with his fingertips.
Despite his careful handling, the photograph kept in his wallet had worn and torn.
The children were curious about the story between him and Winifred Dawson, eager to know how they met, fell in love, and eventually had them.
Each time faced with these questions, Leland Burns fell silent. When repeatedly asked, he grew impatient and ordered them never to mention their mother again.
The sternness of their father intimidated the children, and fearing further repercussions, they dared not ask anymore.
Leland Burns didn’t mean to frighten them; he simply didn’t know how to explain that there were no beautiful memories with their mother. Their meeting was a mistake, not leading to love, and even their existence was forced, having nothing to do with Winifred Dawson.
“Your mother was much more beautiful than that person just now.”
The children, wise beyond their years, knew their father couldn’t forget their mother and that finding a new mother was an impossible task.
Unless they met someone even more beautiful than their mother, but was that possible? If so, Leland Burns would remain single forever.
Seeing Leland Burns’s reddened eyes, both children chose to remain silent, obediently playing the part of good kids.
Leland Burns had calmed himself down: “Tonight, you two eat dinner at home and don’t wander about. Mr. Anderson will keep an eye on you. If you don’t behave, he’ll call me.”
Wayne Burns caught the important detail and asked, “Mr. Anderson will be with us, but where will you be, Dad?”
“I have to work, to complete something very important. Just stay home, have dinner, you can watch TV for a while, but you must go to bed by ten o’clock, understand?” Leland Burns said sternly.
The children answered one after another, “Understood.”
Meanwhile, Winifred Dawson was still at the airport, scouting out all the exits. She guessed Garrison Reeves would come through the VIP passage. She had explored every corner of the airport and memorized all the routes.
She planned to come early the next day, waiting for Garrison Reeves’s flight to arrive, and then surprise him while dressed in a mascot suit.